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Spotted Tree Frog

Photo: Raelene Hobbs.

Photo: Mick Shelton.

Photo: Marissa Parrott.

A young Spotted Tree Frog rests stream side at one of our survey sites. Photo: Raelene Hobbs.

The Spotted Tree Frog, Litoria spenceri, is a mountain stream frog species from north-eastern Victoria and southern New South Wales. The Spotted Tree Frog is listed as Critically Endangered: like many other Australian and international amphibians, populations have declined in recent years.

Due to predation by trout and habitat disturbance, Spotted Tree Frogs now only occur in a few reaches of rocky mountain streams in just 13 river systems. These remaining populations are now threatened by Chytridiomycosis (a disease caused by Amphibian Chytrid Fungus).

Zoos Victoria became involved in the Spotted Tree Frog Recovery Program in 1991. Captive breeding is an increasingly important element of the coordinated Recovery Program.

Zoos Victoria’s key roles in the recovery of the Spotted Tree Frog are to:

Maintain an insurance population in captivity

Help with population monitoring programs (including reintroduction trials)

Conduct research to evaluate the role of trout and Amphibian Chytrid Fungus in changes in population dynamics and ways of treating Chytrid infection

Increase community awareness of the plight of the Spotted Tree Frog and community support for its conservation.